1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper feed apparatus, an image reading apparatus comprising a paper feed apparatus and an image forming apparatus comprising an image reading apparatus, and more specifically, a paper feed apparatus that is provided on an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, a multifunction machine, etc. and feeds a paper placed in a paper placing tray, an image reading apparatus comprising the paper feed apparatus, and an image forming apparatus comprising the image reading apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
One example of a background art is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laying-open No. 2002-255363 [B65H 1/04] laid-open on Sep. 11, 2002 (Patent Literature 1). A paper feed apparatus in Patent Literature 1 comprises a pickup roller (a paper feeding portion) that sends-out an original placed in an original feeding tray. In the vicinity of a downstream side of a paper feeding position by the pickup roller, there are provided with shutters (a regulating portion) that interrupt the original not to be pushed into a separating roller in placing the original. The shutters are provided rotatably at both sides of the pickup roller, and rotations thereof are regulated by a stopper that is slipped off in synchronous with a descent of the pickup roller.
Recently, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, a multifunction machine compounding these, etc., a machine capable of dealing with not only a paper (first width paper) having an ordinary width that is normally used such as A4 paper, A3 paper, etc. but also a paper (second width paper) having a small width that is smaller in size than the first width paper such a name card, post card, etc. is desired. Therefore, a function that can adequately feed the second width paper is also required in a paper feed apparatus. However, in the art disclosed in Patent Literature 1, since the regulating portions are arranged at positions corresponding to both end portions in a width direction of the first width paper that is normally used, and the regulation for the second width paper such as a name card having a smaller width than the first width paper is never considered. Therefore, it is impossible to adequately feed the second width paper.